This invention relates generally to steam irons and, more particularly, to a steam iron and burn prevention apparatus having an iron guard having a lower portion that is movable between a retracted configuration substantially situated inside an interior area and an extended configuration substantially displaced from the interior area. The lower portion's position is regulated by biasing members such as springs.
Operation of a steam iron (also known as a flatiron or clothing iron) to flatten or smooth clothing by removing creases can sometimes be a dangerous task in that an operator's fingers may unintentionally come into contact with the hot surface of the steam iron or be contacted by escaping steam. Even worse, the hot side of the iron may be touched by an unsuspecting third party such as a child.
Various devices and patent designs have been proposed to discourage or prevent a person from coming into direct contact with a dangerously hot surface of a steam iron. Although presumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing product and patent proposals do not provide an iron guard having a lower portion that is selectively movable between a retracted configuration situated inside an interior area defined by an upper portion and an extended configuration displaced from the interior area.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a steam iron and burn prevention apparatus that includes a burn guard having a lower portion that is movable between a retracted configuration substantially situated inside an interior area defined by an upper portion and an extended configuration substantially displaced from the interior area. Further, it would be desirable to have a steam iron and burn prevention apparatus in which the position of the lower portion of the burn guard is regulated by biasing members such as springs.